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Fall camp: Ducks football preview

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Published 5:16 p.m. PT Aug. 2, 2014

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Oregon speedster Devon Allen will look to follow up his tremendous track and field season with a breakout year at receiver. The Ducks will need Allen’s speed to replace Bralon Addison, who tore his ACL during spring practice.
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Key conference game: Nov. 1 vs. Stanford. The Cardinal have derailed Oregon’s national championship dreams two years in a row. Will the Ducks be strong enough in the trenches to reverse this trend? The good news is the game is in Eugene.

1. Losing wide receiver Bralon Addison to a season-ending knee injury in spring practice was a major setback. A talented group of young receivers led by spring standout Devon Allen needs to step up.

2. In losses to Stanford and Arizona last season, the Ducks were pushed around in the trenches. All five starters return on the offensive line, led by center Hroniss Grasu. A bigger question mark is on the defensive front, where DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead will be counted on to produce breakout seasons.

3. An injury to Mariota would be devastating because of limited experience at backup quarterback. Jake Rodrigues transferred to San Diego State in the spring, leaving Jeff Lockie as the only other quarterback on the roster who has attempted a pass in college. Mariota, a preseason Heisman Trophy frontrunner, must stay healthy.

4. Can the Ducks handle lofty expectations? Head coach Mark Helfrich received much scrutiny in his first year at the helm, primarily because he wasn’t Chip Kelly. An 11-win season was the most by a first-year coach in school history, but the setbacks at Stanford and Arizona left a bad taste for players and fans. Anything less than a spot in the four-team College Football Playoff would be considered a disappointment.

5. With Addison injured and De’Anthony Thomas off to the NFL, will a game-breaker emerge on offense and in the return game? Running back Thomas Tyner could fill the role.

6. Matt Wogan wasn’t called upon to make a pressure field goal last season, but that could change in 2014. He’s also expected to handle punting duties.